Ms. Herring
Film as Literature
Room 19 cherring@fcusd.org
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Students enrolled in this class study film both as a visual art form and as a form of visual literature. Although the
average American views “moving images” for hours each day, most watch uncritically and passively, rarely
analyzing how the film works to create meaning or shape images. This course will promote “cineliteracy,” an
understanding of how film communicates; they will learn to “read” film by analyzing its narrative structure,
literary elements, genre conventions, technical and artistic factors, and purpose. In addition, students will
examine how film has become a primary medium for reflecting on and conveying the history and conditions of
society, as well as sometimes shaping its very attitudes and values.
How You Earn Credits (what you really want to know)
At Kinney, we have 12 3 week sessions. Every 3 weeks, you can earn 1-3 credits. It is up to you how quickly you
recover credits.
Here is how it works:
Week 1
In class work
(required)
Homework
(optional)
M
T
W
Th
F
10
10
10
10
10
Week 2
In class work
(required)
Homework
(optional)
M
T
W
Th
F
10
10
10
10
10
Week 3
In class work
(required)
Homework
(optional)
M
T
W
Th
F
10
10
10
10
10
Project: _____________________________ ____/100
1. Completing all REQUIRED work = 1 credit
2. **Earning a 6 or lower means you have
to do a homework assignment or a redo
to get the points**
3. Completing 10 homework assignments =1
credit
** Homeowk can ONLY be requested if
all required work is done**
** Assignments that make up missing
required work do not count towards
extra credits**
4. You may complete a project designed by
you and I in the three week session to earn
another credit.
**Can only be done if all required work
is done or made up**
Class Expectations:
I have one core rule:
Respect is GIVEN no matter what; trust and privileges are EARNED.
In order to show respect to yourself, your peers, and to me, and to earn my trust and your privileges, I need to see the
following behaviors daily:
 SHOW UP
 Earn your credits—complete each day’s work
 Challenge yourself
 do not just put stuff on paper, do your BEST work
 Face your frustrations
 Don’t sell yourself short
 Toss out your old excuses and issues
 Improve your skills and knowledge
 Ask questions/ask for help-- that is what your peers and I are here for
 Help your peers (no copying or allowing copying—that helps no one)
 Participate in class activities and discussions
 No sleeping or slouching in seats
 Do not disrupt the success of others
 No hoodies, hats, or earbuds in class
 Electronics will be off and away unless approved by me.
 YOUR EFFORT AND ATTITUDE REVEAL HOW YOU VALUE YOURSELF AND YOUR OPTIONS.
Key mental skills I would like you to work on:
1. Explore Ideas—do not take something at face value—challenge it, ( I mean, you are a teenager, you
LOVE to challenge things you are told!)
2. Interact with the texts—don’t sit there and expect ideas to reveal themselves to you because they will
not. You must dig in and find what is buried.
3. Be challenged—If you are bored, you are not doing your job.
4. Develop a thoughtful and logical understanding of ideas—don’t just tell me what you think I want to
hear and do not just go for the obvious answers.
5. Be a problem solver—do not just quit. Find what the obstacle is and try solutions until the problem
goes away.
A few words of wisdom to end on:
No one can make you feel bad about yourself except for you.
--Eleanor Roosevelt
We won’t solve our problems using the same sort of thinking that we used when we created
them.
--Albert Einstein
Movie Permission Slip
In this class, some of the visual media we use will have a rating of R. If you DO NOT approve of your student
viewing any rated R media, please sign and return this to me. I will create an alternative assignment for your
student.
________________________________
Print Student Name
___________________________________
Print Your Name
___________________________________
Sign Your Name